August 14, 2008

So You’ve Always Wanted To Be A TV Executive

Yesterday we discussed the personalities you would like to see associated with the new Indy Car broadcast partner Versus. Today Indy Racing officials meet with Versus brass to outline what the deal actually entails.

That means that you can become amateur television executives for a day. The framework you have is a deal that promises significantly enhanced quality and coverage. You will have get more hours of coverage, including qualifications and re-airs.

What elements need to be a part of the mix? Is there any kind of programming not there today you would like to see? Try to ignore the blatant fellatio with which NASCAR is serviced most hours of most days by Speed TV. We need a focus on quality to go along with the quantity. This deal is as close to a clean sheet of paper we will ever have. We need to make it count, but not the kind of programming that overexposes the taxis on Speed. Puhlease.

Follow-up from yesterday included some new ideas for personalities. Eddie Cheever and Tom Sneva are interesting names. Consensus seems to rule out the current booth team of Reid and Goodyear. By now we are all aware of marbles, that gray area, being a passenger, the word ‘eXpecially’ and other repetitive Scottisms. Still sought is a play by play person who can pull it off.

If you have not already done so, it is time to ensure your cable or satellite provider actually provides Versus. Writing or otherwise communicating with them does make a difference. We need to get them up to at least 90 million households pronto.